Acting promptly during the golden hour — the crucial hour from the time of accident to the time when the victim reaches the hospital — can go a long way in saving a person’s life, say doctors.

Any delay of action during the golden hour can lead to complications and sometimes even
death. “Trauma cases due to accidents should be dealt promptly. Such patients should be brought to the hospital within one hour of the occurrence of the incident. It is a crucial period for the victim, but prompt medical treatment can prevent death,” said Dr Subhash Jangid, consultant (joint reconstruction), Fortis hospital.

But acting promptly during the golden hour is a major hurdle, thanks to ill-managed traffic and bad roads.

“The traffic situation is a mess in Gurgaon and that is not only because of poor infrastructure or ill-managed traffic, people flout traffic rules and drink and drive,” said Dr Devlina Chakravarty, chief operating officer, Artemis Health Sciences.

“Most of the orthopaedic cases are due to road accidents and injuries. This is because of high speed and rash driving,” said Dr AP Singh, ex-president, Gurgaon Orthopaedic Society.